WEBVTT THEY ARE ARGUABLY THE CUTEST IMPORT INTO THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, BUT THEY CAN ALSO BRING DISEASE, FINANCIAL RISK, AND HEARTBREAK. RESCUE DOGS ARE ADVERTISED ONLINE, AND FAMILIES TYPICALLY INVEST HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO SAVE THE ANIMAL. AMY COVENO EXPLORES THE RISKS AND REWARDS OF THE RESCUE TRADE. IT IS A WEEKLY OCCURRENCE AT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE NORTHEAST. ADVANCE, TRAILERS, TRUCK'S LOADED WITH DOGS, DOGS BORN IN THE SOUTH, DESTINED FOR DEATH. THAT IS WHEN THIS TOOK OFF. WHEN THE INTERNET-BASED AVAILABILITY AND ACCESS TO ANIMALS, THE PUBLIC BECAME AWARE OF IT. PATHFINDERS IS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE WEBSITE TO SHOP FOR A RESCUE DOG, BUT THERE ARE DOZENS. I HAD HIM FOR THREE WEEKS. I SENT HIM BACK TO ARKANSAS BECAUSE HE WAS SNAPPING. SWEET BUT UNPREDICTABLE. FELTON HAD HEARTWORM AND GLAUCOMA, COSTLY HEALTH PROBLEMS. FELTON NOW HAS A GOOD HOME WITH A DOG TRAINER IN MASSACHUSETTS. EXPERTS SAY ADOPTERS A RARELY RETURN A DOG. THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PREDICT ONLINE. IF YOU FIND A TV ONLINE FROM SOMEBODY YOU'VE NEVER MET, WOULD YOU SEND THE MONEY ONLINE AS A DEPOSIT? WOULD YOU AGREE TO MEET THEM IN A PARKING LOT SOMEWHERE? DR. CRAWFORD SAYS ASKING THREE KEY QUESTIONS BEFORE CAN SAVE HEARTACHE AND MONEY AFTER. ARE YOU LICENSED? IF SO, WITH WHOM? WHAT KIND OF HEALTH GUARANTEES OR PRODUCTION TO PROVIDE? CAN I SEE THE DOG BEFORE I GIVE YOU ANY MONEY? THE CENTER FOR ADVANCED VETERINARY CARE IN MANCHESTER IS ONE OF THE BUSIEST OF THE 274 LICENSED FACILITIES IN THE STATE. WE HAVE ABOUT 200 DOGS THAT COME THROUGH EVERY MONTH FROM OTHER RESCUE GROUPS. MOST, LIKE STELLA, ARE ONLY HERE FOR 48 HOURS BEFORE THEY ARE WHISKED AWAY TO THEIR NEW HOME. WE MONITOR THEM FOR COUGHING, SERIOUS ILLNESSES. SOME NEED TO BE HOSPITALIZED. IF THEY HAVE ANYTHING CONTAGIOUS LIKE KENNEL COUGH, THEY HAVE TO STAY UNTIL THEY ARE CLEARED. THIS IS APRIL RIGHT HERE. APRIL, IS SHE A SWEETHEART OR WHAT? THE STATE VET SAYS DEMAND FOR YOUNG DOGS IN THE GRANITE STATE EXCEEDED SUPPLY, BECAUSE SPACE AND NEUTER PROGRAMS IN THE NORTHEAST ARE SO SUCCESSFUL. IN FACT, NEW HAMPSHIRE WAS THE FIRST STATE IN THE NATION TO OFFER A SPATE AND NEUTER PROGRAM FOR LOW-INCOME PET OWNERS FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS. ACCORDING TO THE NEW HAMPSHIRE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, IN 2012, 7450 RESCUE DOGS WERE BROUGHT INTO THE STATE. WE WONDERED HOW THIS CONSTANT STREAM OF ORPHANED PUPS IS IMPACTING THE ADOPTIONS OF NEW HAMPSHIRE DOGS WHO NEED HOMES. WE WOULD GO THROUGH WEEKS, AND WE WOULD HAVE NOBODY COMING TO THE SHELTER. SHELLEY GREEN GLASS DOESN'T MINCE WORDS. THE MANCHESTER ANIMAL SHELTER HAS BECOME KNOWN AS THE PIT BULL RESCUE, A BREED THAT COMES WITH PRECONCEIVED BIASES. WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BRING MORE PEOPLE TO US. DOGS LIKE SWEET APRIL WHO WAS FOUND WITH ICICLES ON HER BODY IN A WALMART IN SOUTH CAROLINA. APRIL'S PICTURE HOLD DOZENS OF PEOPLE TO THE SHELTER ON A SATURDAY JUST TO APPLY. SHELLEY SAYS THAT IS WHEN THE MAGIC HAPPENS. BY THE PEOPLE BEING HERE, THEY ACTUALLY STARTED LOOKING. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANTED. HEY, WE'VE GOT A NICE DOG BACK HERE. THE STATE SAYS THE MOST COMMON COMPLAINTS FROM ADOPTERS IS THAT A DOG IS SICK WHEN THEY GET IT HOME AND THEY INCURRED A VET BILL. IF THAT HAPPENS WITHIN A WEEK AND YOU HAVE A HEALTH CERTIFICATE, THE LAW STATES THE ADOPTER IS ENTITLED TO A REFUND OR EXCHANGE, BUT THAT RARELY HAPPENS. OUT OF LIKE 5000 DOCS, I HAVE SEEN IT TO COME BACK. IT'S AMAZING. THE LAWS ABOUT DOG IMPORTS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE ARE EVOLVING. A 2012 STATUTE REQUIRES ALL OUT-OF-STATE RESCUE DOGS TO BE KORAN TEAM FOR 48 HOURS IN A LICENSED FACILITY AND MUST BE EXAMINED BY A NEW HAMPSHIRE LICENSED VETERINARIAN WHO SIGNED THE HEALTH CERTIFICATE. DR. CRAWFORD SAYS STATE LAWS ONLY REGULATE HEALTH, NOT DISPOSITION.